College Student Hye Min Choi Vanishes At Chicago's O'Hare Airport

Law enforcement and other officials are working to locate a missing Illinois college student who disappeared after checking his luggage at O'Hare International Airport.

Hye Min Choi, who's originally from Greensboro, North Carolina and attends the University of Illinois, was last seen about 4:50 p.m. Friday, after he checked in for a flight at O'Hare, Chicago's WGN-TV reported Tuesday.

The 19-year-old, who also goes by the first name of Joseph, was supposed to take a United Airlines flight to Greensboro, but for reasons not yet clear he never boarded the plane. Choi's luggage later arrived at his destination without him, police said.

The Chicago Police Department issued an alert to the public about Choi's disappearance Monday, but they do not appear to suspect foul play.

"The young man was apparently having some problems in school," police superintendent Garry McCarthy said at a Tuesday media briefing, according to The Chicago Tribune. "We have some leads on where he may be. It appears that he may or not have wanted to go home."

According to The Chicago Sun Times, Choi is described as 5-foot-6, with brown eyes, black hair and a medium complexion. He weighs 100 pounds and has a scar on his right eyelid.

Since Aug. 1, 2018, Samantha &ldquo;Sam&rdquo; Sayers, 28, has been missing in the mountains of Washington state.&nbsp;<br><br>On the <a href="Samantha Sayers" target="_blank">morning of her disappearance</a>, Sayers made the two-hour drive from her Seattle home for a solo hike at Vesper Peak in the North Cascades in Snohomish County. She is familiar with the area and <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/missing-hikers-mom-message_n_5b721fa8e4b0bdd0620c2b57" target="_blank">previously went hiking there</a> several times.&nbsp;<br><br>Samantha Sayers was supposed to contact her boyfriend, Kevin Dares, around 6 p.m. When she didn&rsquo;t, he went looking for her. He located her vehicle parked at the trailhead. Despite increasing darkness, he hiked 2 miles along the rocky pathway before he was forced to turn back. He then notified a local ranger station.&nbsp;<br><br>According to the Snohomish County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office, a group of hikers reported seeing Samantha Sayers on her way up Vesper Peak around midmorning on Aug. 1. Another hiker reported seeing her the same day at the 6,220-foot summit and then he watched her head south from the summit.&nbsp;<br><br>The search led by the sheriff's office was <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/authorities-suspend-search-missing-seattle-hiker_n_5b85a9afe4b0cf7b002fc209?f9m" target="_blank">suspended on Aug. 23, 2018</a>. Sayers' family has since taken over coordinating volunteer search efforts.&nbsp;<br><br>Friends and family members are posting updates to a Facebook group, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/194935701378932/?ref=group_header" target="_blank">#findsamsayers</a>. They are encouraging everyone to share her story using the hashtag #FindSamSayers. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Snohomish County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office at 425-388-3808 or 425-388-3523.